GIS is not simply an improved, digital version of the traditional paper map. GIS involves analyzing spatial data rather than simply displaying it. Spatial data used in land information management comes from many sources, including earth-orbiting satellites, air and sea-borne sensors, and ground-based instruments. Data is processed and interpreted using powerful computers and software programs. Computer technology now makes it possible not only to capture and manage the geographic features digitally, but also to integrate attribute or descriptive information about such features in one single relational database environment. The Global Positioning System (GPS), using data from earth-orbiting satellites, has greatly improved the acquisition of positional data. These improvements in time, cost and methodology have enhanced the integration of the positional data with the attribute data.

An industry that is complementary to Geomatics in many ways is the Intelligent Transportation Industry (ITS). Automobile navigation systems will probably be installed in mid-range family cars in the near future. Read a relevant article here.